The name of the square

Daily market in the square Campo de Fiori with the statue of Giordano Bruno

The square itself didn’t exist until the 15th century. Before there was a meadow with different kinds of flowers and also a few cultivated vegetable gardens. That’s probably from where the square got its name. Campo de’ Fiori literally means a field of flowers. Another legend says that the square takes its name after Flora. She was one of the favourites gods of the emperor Pompeius, whose theatre was right in this area.

Giordano Bruno

They executed for heresy In Campo de Fiori the great astronomer Giordano Bruno in Campo de Fiori

Did you know that for a long time Campo de’ Fiori was the site of public executions? The world-known philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned here. The statue if the middle of the square is here to commemorate this Italian cosmological theorist. The sculpture is the work of Ettore Ferrari and in 1887 it was placed at the exact place of Giordano Bruno’s execution.

The Markets

Since 1869 the famous markets started to happen in Campo de’ Fiori. Nowadays the square is very popular not only with tourists but also with locals. Let’s admit locals get better prizes here:)! But still, if you want to buy some typical Italian products such as limoncello or handmade pasta, this is the right place.

Square in Movie

The popular atmosphere of these markets was well captured in a movie Campo de’ Fiori from 1943. The main stars of this movie were Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi. These two artists belong to the golden era of Italian cinema. If you have a free evening we definitely recommend you to watch this movie. After watching it you can compare the atmosphere of this picturesque place nowadays and almost 80 years before.

Palazzo Della Cancelleria

In Campo dei Fiori you can buy fresh local fruit and vegetables

Not far from Campo de’ Fiori you can find a beautiful palace. Palazzo Della Cancelleria is a historic seat of Apostolic Chancellery. Even nowadays there is still the tribunal of Holy See. This beautiful building was finished at the end of the 15th century. The building, as an extraterritorial area of the Holy See, still holds its immunities like all the foreign embassies. You can also visit there quite an interesting museum of Leonardo Da Vinci:)!

Palazzo Farnese

There is another beautiful Rennaissant palace in the neighbourhood of Campo de’ Fiori. Palazzo Farnese takes its place in Piazza Farnese. The palace belonged to Italy until 1936. From this year it has been granted to the French government. Nowadays there is a French embassy in this building. France has a contract to rent this palace for 99 years. There is one quite an interesting fact about this building. Giacomo Puccini, a famous Italian composer, set the second act of his opera Tosca there:)!

Local musicians, drinks and bars, locals and travellers sitting by the statue in Campo de Fiori at night